NOLS windpants

[Lachlan Fysh]

Hey,

I stumbled on this Outdoor Gear Lab dream list ther other day:

http://www.outdoorgearlab.com/a/11136/Dream-Backpacking-Gear-List

I get most of the choices, but I was surprised by the Hiking pants, firstly because they are wind pants (Houdini) but also because the number 1 pick is the apparently cheap and cheerful NOLS windpants… I googled them to understand if there was any secret quality hiding there, and stumbled upon this out dated gear list this has a weight of 2.5 oz against them:

http://www.trailjournals.com/gear.cfm?trailname=2470

If true, this would make them lighter than the Houdini pants with 1000 denier reinforcements… I don't believe it, but they seem seem like a decent pair of affordable pants to throw in my pack and put on when shorts have been a mistake. Any users with a comment?

[Stephen Collins]

I tried on a pair of NOLS wind pants recently and they were a lot heavier than the Houdini pants. Don't know the exact weight but it was a significant difference in my opinion. I couldn't say why Outdoor Gear lab picked them as their fave pant.

[Lachlan Fysh]

I'd say price… but then they picked the M10 as a rain shell so..

[Hamish Reid]

My NOLS wind pants, bought back around 2006, are 260g. That'd be about 9 ounces I think. I'm not sure if they've lightened them up since then?

Hamish

[Clint E]

I bought a pair as a result of that article.

They're 9.8oz (278g)for the XL.

They're not cut for anyone with a reasonable amount of junk in the trunk. If you couldn't comfortably fit into a pair of Levis 550s back in the day, don't even try with these.

[Justin Baker]

One of my gripes about wind pants (and rain pants) is their excessive bagginess, I think I'll give these a try. I don't think the extra weight is a big deal if you are using them as your main pants for cold weather backpacking. But for pants that stay in the pack part of the time, I agree, too heavy.

[John S.]

The montane featherlight windpants are close fitting.

[Author]

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